STS 4281 - Anticipation: Living in the Future

(crosslisted)
(also SHUM 4281) (CA-AS)

Spring. 4 credits. Letter grades only.

V. Choi.

This course surveys contemporary environmental, medical, and social problems through the notion of “anticipation.” How does an anticipation of the future shape our understandings of specific social problems, speculations of these problems, and projected solutions to them? How are fear and uncertainty about the future mobilized to introduce projects of management and control? What other kinds of affects and emotions do anticipatory practices conjure in people? How are things such as “life” and “health” articulated and conceived of in and through anticipatory practices of medicalization and genomic science? We will look at practices of preparedness for natural disasters and terrorist attacks, speculations of climate change, and financial markets. How are society and subjectivities re-oriented in anticipating these impending futures?